Volvo's V70 Roof Airbag

A Posting from Forum Moderator Ron Moore

I just want to draw attention to the most recent University of Extrication article in the October 2001 issue of Firehouse magazine. The article details an important change is the way Volvo has designed their roof-mounted side impact airbag system for their station wagons.

The airbag system uses stored, pressurized cylinders to fill the 'Inflatable Curtain' airbag. What is critical to understand, and what the article is trying to emphasize, is that for the first time, we have two stored gas cylinders mounted horizontally along the roof rail.

Up until this time, stored gas cylinders were found mounted on the inside of the rear roof pillars(Volvo, Audi, Mercedes, etc.) or buried alongside the A-pillar near the front door hinges(BMW).

Scan for airbag IDs.

Shutdown electrical systems.

Strip trim before you cut a roof pillar.

Total roof removal is preferred over 'flapping' a roof. Flapping is a dinosaur!